Invalid&#39;s portable step unit and attached carrying handle member therefor

ABSTRACT

An invalid&#39;&#39;s portable step unit and attached carrying handle member which is adapted for use by persons afflicted with an illness which makes it difficult or impossible for them to raise one or both legs sufficiently to climb into a bus. A carrying handle member, which may have the form of a cane, is attached to and projects upwardly from the portable step unit so that the complete unit may be carried like a walking cane when not otherwise in use.

United States Patent 11 1 Zigman 1 May 20, 1975 [5 INVALIDS PORTABLE STEP UNIT AND 3,712,652 1/1973 Vilkema 403/108 3,826,336 7 1974 Cramer 182/106 ATTACHED CARRYING HANDLE MEMBER THEREFOR Cary Wayne Zigman, 1239 Conell, Highland Park, 111. 60035 Filed: May 9, 1974 App]. No.: 468,402

Inventor:

US. Cl. 182/113; 182/106; 182/129 Int. Cl. A47c 9/12 Field of Search 182/106, 113, 129;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1920 Hall 182/106 Primary ExaminerReinaldo P. Machado [57] ABSTRACT An invalids portable step unit and attached carrying handle member which is adapted for use by persons afflicted with an illness which makes it difficult or impossible for them to raise one or both legs sufficiently to climb into a bus. A carrying handle member, which may have the form of a cane, is attached to and projects upwardly from the portable step unit so that the complete unit may be carried like a walking cane when not otherwise in use.

1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures INVALIDS PORTABLE STEP UNIT AND ATTACHED CARRYING HANDLE MEMBER THEREFOR OBJECTS The primary object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved invalids portable step unit and attached carrying handle member which is adapted for use by persons afflicted with an illness which renders it difficult, if not impossible for them to lift one or both legs sufficiently high to enable them to climb onto .a bus.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a new and improved invalids portable step unit which is adapted to be used as a walking cane when not otherwise in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel invalids portable step unit embodying an adjustable carrying member or cane which may be manually adjusted to fit the needs and heighth of the user.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a bus and a bus step and illustrating the use of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the new invalids portable step unit and attached carrying handle member;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the invention as seen from the left hand side in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on line 4--4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the invention as seen from the front in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a view on line 6-6 in FIG. 5, partly in section and partly in elevation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A typical and preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing, wherein it is generally indicated at 10, and is shown in FIG. 1 as being positioned for use by an invalid in climbing onto the step 11 of a bus 12, or the like.

The invention embodies a portable step unit 13 I which includes a supporting frame 14, which embodies generally U-shaped side frame members 15 which may be made of tubular metal, such as aluminum, steel, or the like, and which may be attached, in any suitable manner, as by welding 16 (FIG. 4), to a horizontally extending metallic supporting platform member 17. A

corrugated anti-slip member 18 which may be made of rubber, elastomeric material, or the like, is mounted on the upper surface of the metallic platform member 17 and is attached thereto in any suitable manner, as by means of channel-shaped members 19 (FIGS. 3 and 6).

The present invention includes a carrying handle member, generally indicated at 20, which is shown as having the form of a cane having a handle member 21 at its upper end, it being noted that the handle member 20 is located centrally of and at the rear of the step unit and that the handle 21 thereon extends generally parallel to and is generally coplanar with the rear surface of step unit 13 at the rear thereof (FIG. 6). The carrying handle member 20 includes a pair of telescoping outer and inner tubular members 22 and 23, respectively, (FIG. 4) which may be made of any desired material such, for example, as tubular steel, aluminum, or the like. The outer telescoping tubular member 22 has a vertically extending row of latching apertures 24 formed therein for the reception of a manually operable latching button member 25 which is mounted within the inner tubular member 23 (FIG. 5). The latching button member 25 is urged into one of the latching apertures 24 by a spring 26, which is mounted in and is attached to the unner tubular member 23 and is also attached to the latching button member 25. The handle member 21 is preferably formed as an integral part of the outer tubular member 22 and the inner tubular member has a lower end portion 27 which extends downwardly through suitable openings, as 28 and 29, respectively, formed in the anti-slip member 18 and in the metallic supporting platform member 17 of the step 13 (FIG. 4). As shown in FIG. 4, the lower end portion of the inner tubular member 23 is attached as at 30, to a metallic collar 31 which, in turn, is attached, as by welding 32, to the metallic supporting platform member 17.

A second spring 33 may be arranged within the inner tubular member 23 to increase the friction between the two tubular members 22 and .23.

USE AND OPERATION OF THE INVENTION In the use of the present invention, the parts thereof being assembled, as shown, the carrying handle memher or cane 20 may be adjusted to suit the needs of the user, by manipulating the latching button member 25 radially inwardly and raising the outer tubular member 22 and attached handle member 21 to the desired height, relative to the inner tubular member 23, and

then releasing the latching button member 25at a desired one of the latching holes or apertures 24 into which it will be urged by the spring 26 so as to hold the outer and inner tubular telescoping members 22 and 23, respectively, in the desired adjusted position, as to heighth.

The invalids portable step unit 13 and attached carrying handle member 20-21 may then be carried by the user, like a walking cane, and when he desires to climb onto the step of a bus 12, or the like, he may readily do so by positioning the portable step unit adjacent the step 1 1 of the bus 12 onto which the user may climb by stepping onto the horizontal platform member 17-18 while holding the carrying handle member or cane 2021.

When desired, the new invalids portable step unit may be readily carried and used as a walking cane, and may be readily transported in an automobile, or the like.

It will be noted that the carrying handle member or cane 20-21, being located at the rear and centrally of the platform member 17-18 and with the handle 21 extending generally parallel and being generally coplanar with the handle member 20 allows free and unobstructed use of the platform unit 17-18 and facilitates walking with the device at the rear side thereof.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description,

considered in conjunction with the accompanying a. a step unit including 1. a supporting frame; 7 v 2. a horizontally extending platform unit carried by the said supporting frame at the top thereof; b. a carrying handle member including 1. a lower end portion attached to and extending vertically upwardly from the said platform unit; the said carrying handle member including 2. an upper end portion having a. a handle attached thereto;

c. the said carrying handle member including 1. outer and inner telescopically interconnected and vertically adjustable tubular members;

d. the said handle member being attached to one of the said telescopically interconnected tubular members;

e. manually operable latching means attached to and carried by one of said telescopically interconnected tubular members for releasably latching the said telescopically interconnected tubular members in a selected position vertically relative to each other; f. the said platform unit having front and rear surthe said platform unit. 

1. An invalid''s portable step unit and carrying handle member therefor, comprising a. a step unit including
 1. a supporting frame;
 2. a horizontally extending platform unit carried by the said supporting frame at the top thereof; b. a carrying handle member including
 1. a lower end portion attached to and extending vertically upwardly from the said platform unit; the said carrying handle member including
 2. an upper end portion having a. a handle attached thereto; c. the said carrying handle member including
 1. outer and inner telescopically interconnected and vertically adjustable tubular members; d. the said handle member being attached to one of the said telescopically interconnected tubular members; e. manually operable latching means attached to and carrIed by one of said telescopically interconnected tubular members for releasably latching the said telescopically interconnected tubular members in a selected position vertically relative to each other; f. the said platform unit having front and rear surfaces and side surfaces; g. the said carrying handle member being attached to the said platform unit adjacent the said rear surface thereof and centrally between the said side surfaces of said platform unit; and h. the said carrying handle member including a handle which is disposed generally parallel to and in coplanar relationship with the said rear surface of the said platform unit.
 2. a horizontally extending platform unit carried by the said supporting frame at the top thereof; b. a carrying handle member including
 2. an upper end portion having a. a handle attached thereto; c. the said carrying handle member including 